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I roll my eyes. “You’re the worst.”
“I warned you to stay away.”
“Fuck you.”
He smiles brightly. “I love you, too.”
My br
eath hitches, and everything in me comes alive. In just four short words, every ounce of heartache becomes completely worth it. All the trouble. All the chaos. All the pain. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat just to get back here.
As I carefully lie in his arms, I think of all we went through. People were right. Knox Vaughn is trouble. His hands are tainted—dyed permanently red with the blood of the lives he’s taken—and yet, I’d trust them with my own.
What can I say? Golden boys just don’t do it for me.
Epilogue
DELANEY
I stand in front of the mirror in my room, placing the cap perfectly on top of my head. The tassel hangs on the right side and reminds me of what’s to come. Savannah comes to stand beside me, her gown matching mine, while Tessa sits on my bed.
“I can’t believe they’re making me repeat half my senior year before they’ll give me my diploma!” she whines.
Sav and I share a look, one that silently says she’s leaving this to me. I chuckle and turn around to face my sister.
“Well, what did you expect? You didn’t show up for more than half of senior year.”
“Uh, hello? Lived through a super traumatic event and all?”
“Uh, hello? What about all the days before that?”
She groans and flops onto her back. “Ugh. This is going to suck. I don’t even know any juniors.”
“I do.” Sav chimes in. “Lennon Bradwell. She dances with me, and she’s incredible. I’ll make sure to introduce you this summer.”
It doesn’t fix Tessa’s mood, but it definitely makes a dent. I grab the notecards from my dresser, looking over my speech. If there was ever something to be nervous about, it’s this.
THE GYMNASIUM IS FILLED with excited students itching to graduate. The girls are all in white, the guys in red. Savannah rests against Grayson with his arms wrapped around her, making me wish my boyfriend was in here with me.
Carter and Jace are being obnoxious, as usual, goofing off and talking about how kick-ass college is going to be. Of course they decided to go together. I don’t think the two of them could stand being apart. Savannah and I are almost the same way, except she’ll be at Juilliard in New York, and I’ll be attending Brown University in Rhode Island. At least we’ll both be on the same coast, just a train ride away.
THE WALK TO OUR seats goes off without a hitch, and after a few key speakers, it’s finally time for my speech. My nerves are all over the place as Principal Hyland starts off my introduction.
“Our valedictorian this year is someone who has overcome many obstacles and still has managed to shine. It is with great pleasure that I introduce Delaney Callahan.”
Our whole class cheers, with my friends of course being the loudest. Even Tessa stands in the audience, screaming my name. I smile as I stand, walking up to the podium and taking my place.
“Thank you, Principal Hyland,” I tell him, then turn my attention to everyone else. “Parents, faculty, and fellow graduates, I stand before you today, young, determined, and ready to take on the world. I could tell you all about the last four years, but instead, I believe it’s more important to talk about what’s next. Now, I’m not going to give life-changing advice. One, because the highest GPA doesn’t mean I know any more than you do. And two, because I know most of you won’t listen to it anyway.”
Many of the people in the audience chuckle as I pause for a breath.
“Wherever we’re headed, whether it be university, an internship, or in some cases, a year abroad, we’re all going to face the same challenges. We’re going to learn. We’re going to mess up. And we’re going to fail. It’s important, however, that we don’t let that failure define us, but rather shape how we react to it. Embrace the mess-ups, and learn from the downfalls—because they’re bound to happen, a lot. It’s only embarrassing if you don’t learn from your mistakes. Take a break when your brain feels too full, because mental exhaustion is actually a thing. And finally—”
My eyes find Knox in the back of the crowd and he smirks at me.
“Never, under any circumstances, let anyone tell you that you don’t belong.”
He throws his head back, laughing as the hidden joke is well received. I look around at all the people I’ve spent the last four years with, and swallow down the lump in my throat.
